Condolences on the Passing of Henri Leclerc, a Great Defender of Human Rights
Henri Leclerc, a towering figure in the defense of human rights, the very embodiment of justice and the rule of law, one of the most illustrious lawyers in French history, and the Honorary President of the League of Human Rights, passed away today, September 1, at the age of 90.
Over his remarkable 65-year career, Leclerc stood as a leading figure in French jurisprudence and a steadfast advocate for justice and the rule of law.
The French legal community has come together in tribute to him, and the media have mourned the loss of a “noble elder.” For four decades, he was an unyielding advocate for the Iranian Resistance, persistently defending both the Resistance and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran under the most arduous conditions.
I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, children, and family, as well as to the wider public, with special thoughts for the lawyers, judges, and jurists of France.
Today, the Iranian Resistance has lost a cherished friend, and the people of France and Europe have bid farewell to one of their greatest heroes. Henri Leclerc, who personified the core values of France, was a steadfast defender and impassioned advocate for us through the most trying times and amid profound injustices. His name will eternally be etched in the collective memory of the Iranian people.
Henri Leclerc also served as the attorney for Massoud Rajavi, the leader of the Iranian Resistance, in the trial of a Resistance cell in 1984, where he powerfully articulated the just aspirations of the Iranian people and their resistance against the religious tyranny ruling Iran, reverberating throughout France.
He led the legal team for the Iranian Resistance in the infamous case of June 17, 2003, when the headquarters of the NCRI and the residences of hundreds of Iranian refugees were attacked by more than 1,300 police force in France. The case ultimately ended with the dismissal of charges in favor of the Resistance. Despite the regime’s attempts to fabricate evidence and the complicity of appeasers, the anti-terrorism judge concluded in his ruling that the People’s Mojahedin Organization represented a legitimate resistance.
The memory of Henri Leclerc will eternally endure in the historical consciousness of the Iranian people, embodying the core values of France—liberty, equality, and fraternity.
